1. Gas-Lift Valve Flow Performance
High-Pressure, High-Temperature Application Test Data
Angel Wileman, Manager Fluid Dynamics
Southwest Research Institute®

2. Gas-Lift Valve Completion Requirements
Gas SG: 0.65 – 0.97
7,500 psi
Single-Point Injection
275ºF
15 MMscfd
The field that would use this gas lift valve was in the gulf of mexico. This is a representative image that may or may not be connected to the installation.
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

3. Project Team
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

4. Gas-Lift Valve Technology: SafeLift Orifice Valve
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

5. Testing Requirements Extensive Validation Testing Dynamic Flow Testing
PTC will cover tomorrow
Dynamic Flow Testing
Similar to TR2385
Flow Performance Testing
Similar to API 19G2 flow performance testing
Oct , 2017
2017 Gas-Lift Workshop

6. Project Timeline
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Facility Conception
Testing
Testing Complete
Design Complete
Commissioning Complete
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

7. GLTF Design Recirculating loop
Methane and nitrogen source already on site
Chiller
Compressors
(10 prime movers,
1 facility charging)
Heat Exchanger
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

8. GLTF Main Facility Slab and Cover Fire Suppression System Pump Room
Primary Entrance/Exit
Electrical Building
Chiller
Liquid Nitrogen Source
Nitrogen Gas Source
Oct , 2017
2017 Gas-Lift Workshop

9. GLTF Test Facility Site (Test Fixture)
Manifolds
Gas Chromatograph
Charge Panel
Methane Volume
Test Fixture
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

10. Test Fixture Holds a gas-lift valve and a barrier-check valve
Flow geometry matched actual mandrel flow geometry
Outlet
Inlet
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

11. Flow Performance Testing
0.277”
0.310”
0.321”
0.72
0.96
180ºF
220ºF
250ºF
6,000
7,500
9,000
Gas Specific Gravity
Orifice
Size
Gas
Temp.
Pressure
(psig)
5 test points and one choke point per combination. That’s a total of 270 test points. It took 8 weeks to complete the test series.
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

12. Steady-State Point Example
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

13. Choke-Point Test 6k, 250F, choke test, orifice 0.321” June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

14. Choke-Point Test Choke Point Plotted without respect to time
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

15. Flow Performance Comparison Example
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2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

16. Effect of Temperature and Pressure
Flow rate decreases with increasing temperature
180F – 16.4 mmscfd 6,000 psi – 12.6 mmscfd
220F – 15.8 mmscfd 7,500 psi – 15.1 mmscfd
250F – 15.1 mmscfd 9,000 psi MMscfd
Flow rate increases with increasing pressure
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

17. Effects of Gas Composition
Volumetric flow rate follows the same trend:
Flow Rate (mmscfd)
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

18. Volumetric Flow Rate
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2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

19. Gas composition has the largest effect
Summary
Gas composition has the largest effect
on flow performance.
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

20. Summary Some flow performance was unexpected and
a new port size was created as a result.
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

21. Summary Laboratory flow performance testing at field-like conditions
reduced risk for the end user.
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

22. Copyright
Rights to this presentation are owned by the company(ies) and/or author(s) listed on the title page. By submitting this presentation to the Gas-Lift Workshop, they grant to the Workshop, the Artificial Lift Research and Development Council (ALRDC), and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), rights to:
Display the presentation at the Workshop.
Place it on the website, with access to the site to be as directed by the Workshop Steering Committee.
Place it on a CD for distribution and/or sale as directed by the Workshop Steering Committee.
Other uses of this presentation are prohibited without the expressed written permission of the company(ies) and/or author(s) who own it and the Workshop Steering Committee.
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop

23. Disclaimer
The following disclaimer shall be included as the last page of a Technical Presentation or Continuing Education Course. A similar disclaimer is included on the front page of the Gas-Lift Workshop Web Site.
The Artificial Lift Research and Development Council and its officers and trustees, and the Gas-Lift Workshop Steering Committee members, and their supporting organizations and companies (here-in- after referred to as the Sponsoring Organizations), and the author(s) of this Technical Presentation or Continuing Education Training Course and their company(ies), provide this presentation and/or training material at the Gas-Lift Workshop "as is" without any warranty of any kind, express or implied, as to the accuracy of the information or the products or services referred to by any presenter (in so far as such warranties may be excluded under any relevant law) and these members and their companies will not be liable for unlawful actions and any losses or damage that may result from use of any presentation as a consequence of any inaccuracies in, or any omission from, the information which therein may be contained.
The views, opinions, and conclusions expressed in these presentations and/or training materials are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Sponsoring Organizations. The author is solely responsible for the content of the materials.
The Sponsoring Organizations cannot and do not warrant the accuracy of these documents beyond the source documents, although we do make every attempt to work from authoritative sources. The Sponsoring Organizations provide these presentations and/or training materials as a service. The Sponsoring Organizations make no representations or warranties, express or implied, with respect to the presentations and/or training materials, or any part thereof, including any warrantees of title, non- infringement of copyright or patent rights of others, merchantability, or fitness or suitability for any purpose.
June 3 - 7, 2019
2019 Gas-Lift Workshop